System and method for handling drill pipe using a vacuum handler

ABSTRACT

A system and method for moving directional drill pipe with vacuum power. The system is used with a vacuum beam mounted on a boom. It has a vacuum pad that is pivotally attached at one end by a hinge to the vacuum beam. The other end of the vacuum pad is attached to the vacuum beam via an actuatable cylinder. Operation of the cylinder causes the vacuum pad to rotate about the hinge and change the angle of the vacuum pad relative to the vacuum beam. Lateral movement of the vacuum pad relative to the vacuum beam is provided by one or more pinned connections located adjacent to the hinge. Vacuum pressure from the vacuum pad is used to grasp and release drill pipe.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PENDING APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/682,246, filed on Apr. 9, 2015, which claimedthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/978,437, filedApr. 11, 2014, which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a vacuum handler for pipe.More particularly, the present invention relates to a vacuum handler fordrill pipe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Directional drilling machines are typically used to install pipe underexisting obstacles such as a river or road. During the operation, thedirectional drilling machine drills a hole that arches underneath theobstacle from the surface on one side of the obstacle to the surface onthe other side of the obstacle. On the initial pass, the directionaldrilling machine drills the hole. Various methods are used to locate andguide the drill bit and drill string along the desired path. Lengths ofdrill pipe are added at the back end of the drill string as the drillbit progresses along its path. Once the drill bit reaches the surface onthe other side of the obstacle the pipe that is to be installed isattached to the drill string and it is pulled into place as the drillstring is retracted through the hole that was just drilled. If thediameter of the pipe is larger than the diameter of the initial hole,the diameter of the initial hole can be increased by reaming it out asthe pipe and drill string are retracted back through the hole. As thedrill string is retracted back through the hole the excess lengths ofdrill pipe are removed from the drill string.

Directional drilling requires handling of the drill pipe prior to beingsecured to the drill string and once it is removed from the drillstring. In order to place the drill pipe into position it must bealigned with the end of the drill string. This requires the pipe to beat a slight angle to the ground, typically 1° to 30°. The drill pipe waspreviously handled in numerous ways using slings, chains, hoists,grappling claws and even moving by hand on smaller diameter pipe. Eachof these methods has its own drawbacks ranging from operator safety todamage to the pipe resulting from mishandling.

What is needed, therefore, is an effective and safe way to handle thedrill pipe that does not damage it.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention achieves its objectives by providing a system andmethod for moving directional drill pipe with vacuum power. The systemis used with a vacuum beam mounted on a boom. It has a vacuum pad thatis pivotally attached at one end by a hinge to the vacuum beam. Theother end of the vacuum pad is attached to the vacuum beam via ahydraulic cylinder. Operation of the hydraulic cylinder causes thevacuum pad to rotate about the hinge and change the angle of the vacuumpad relative to the vacuum beam. Lateral movement of the vacuum padrelative to the vacuum beam is provided by one or more pinnedconnections located adjacent to the hinge. Vacuum pressure from thevacuum pad is used to grasp and release drill pipe.

The present invention provides a system and method to handle drill pipefor directional drilling which minimizes worker injuries and damage todrill pipe and equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention have been described. Otherfeatures, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will becomebetter understood with regard to the description, appended claims, andaccompanying drawings (which are not to scale) where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present inventionmounted to a vacuum beam;

FIG. 2 is a side view of one embodiment of the present invention mountedto a vacuum beam;

FIG. 3 is a left end view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a right end view of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of articulated link ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides safe and effective system 10 and methodfor handling drill pipe for a directional drilling machine using avacuum pad 12 mounted on an excavator or other boom. The vacuum pad 12is mounted to a vacuum beam 14 which is mounted to the boom of anexcavator or other boom (not shown). The connection of the beam 14 tothe excavator is typically accomplished with a rotator (not shown)capable of rotating the beam 14 relative to the boom.

Vacuum for the pad 12 is supplied by a vacuum pump 16 mounted on thebeam 14. The vacuum pump 16 may be powered by an internal combustionengine 18 located on the beam 14. In the alternative, the vacuum pump 16may be powered by a hydraulic pump which in turn is powered by hydraulicfluid from the excavator.

The beam 14 also contains a vacuum reservoir 20 which is in fluidcommunication with the vacuum pump 16 and the vacuum pad 12. Thisprovides additional time for the operator to react to an event whereoperation of the vacuum pump 16 is interrupted.

The vacuum pad 12 is attached to beam 14 by harness 22 that isarticulated at a first half 24 and has a hydraulic cylinder 26 on thesecond half 28. The angle of the pad 12 (and any pipe it may becarrying) relative to the beam 14 can be adjusted by operation of thehydraulic cylinder 26. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hydrauliccylinder 26 does not need to be located on the very end of the secondhalf 28 of the pad 16 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Likewise the pinnedconnection 32 may not be on the very end the pad 12. The exact locationof where the hydraulic cylinder 26 and pinned connection 32 is mountedto the pad 12 is a function of the size of the hydraulic cylinder 26 andthe amount of load anticipated on the pad 12.

Operation of the hydraulic cylinder 26 causes the vacuum pad 12 to pivotabout a hinge 30. Thus the angle of the vacuum pad 12 relative to thevacuum beam 14 can be adjusted.

Slight lateral angle adjustments can be accommodated by one or morepinned connections 32 or other articulations in the harness 22. In thepreferred embodiment, these one or more pinned connections areperpendicular with the hinge 30. This assures the pad 12 can be alignedwith the pipe being picked up. In the preferred embodiment, this lateralangle adjustment is not actively controlled. Rather it reacts tomovement of the pad 12 and beam 14 relative to the pipe being picked up.

A vacuum line 34 connects the pad 12 to the vacuum pump 16 and vacuumreservoir 20. Thus all three of these elements are in fluidcommunication with one another. A first solenoid operated valve 36provides a way to isolate the vacuum pad 16 from the vacuum pump 16 andvacuum reservoir 20. A second solenoid operated valve 38 is capable ofopening the vacuum pad 16 to atmosphere. This releases the vacuumpressure between the vacuum pad and the drill pipe.

In operation, the drill pipe is typically stored in a horizontalorientation. The excavator operator lowers the vacuum beam 14 and vacuumpad 12 over the drill pipe. Using the rotator the vacuum pad 12 isrotated to align it with the drill pipe. The vacuum pad 12 is thenbrought into contact with the drill pipe. A vacuum seal is createdbetween the vacuum pad 12 and the drill pipe. This is accomplished byopening the first solenoid operated valve 36 which brings the vacuumpump 16 and/or vacuum reservoir 20 into fluid communication with thevacuum pad 12. Once the drill pipe is secured to the vacuum pad 12 bythe vacuum pressure, the vacuum beam 14, vacuum pad 12 and drill pipeare lifted and moved into position with the directional drilling machinethrough movement of the boom and rotator. The angle of the drill piperelative to the vacuum beam 14 and ground is then adjusted by extendingthe hydraulic cylinder 26. This causes the vacuum pad 12 and pipe torotate about the hinge 30.

Once the directional drilling machine secures the pipe, the pipe isreleased from the vacuum pad 12. This is accomplished by closing thefirst solenoid operated valve 36 between the pad 12 and the vacuum pump16 and vacuum reservoir 20. A second solenoid operated valve 38 on thevacuum pad 12 is then opened to atmosphere. This terminates the vacuumbetween the vacuum pad 12 and the pipe.

Retrieving a pipe from the directional drilling machine and moving it tostorage is accomplished in the reverse order of events.

Articulation and movement of the pad 12 relative to the beam 14 could beaccomplished by other means and still be within the scope of thisinvention. Further the location of power and vacuum sources could berearranged and still be within the scope of this invention.

The foregoing description details certain preferred embodiments of thepresent invention and describes the best mode contemplated. It will beappreciated, however, that changes may be made in the details ofconstruction and the configuration of components without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the descriptionprovided herein is to be considered exemplary, rather than limiting, andthe true scope of the invention is that defined by the following claimsand the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof isentitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vacuum handler comprising: a harness includingone end configured for connection to a vacuum beam of the vacuumhandler, another end configured for connection to one portion of avacuum pad of the vacuum handler, and a hinge located between the twoends; said ends including one or more pinned connections; and anactuatable cylinder connecting another portion of the vacuum pad to thevacuum beam, wherein operation of the actuatable cylinder rotates thevacuum pad about the hinge and changes an angle of the vacuum padrelative to the vacuum beam.
 2. A vacuum handler according to claim 1,wherein a plane of rotation of the hinge is oriented perpendicular to aplane of rotation of the one or more pinned connections.
 3. A vacuumhandler according to claim 1, wherein the one or more pinned connectionsprovide lateral movement of the vacuum pad relative to the vacuum beam.4. A vacuum handler according to claim 1, the actuatable cylinderincluding a hydraulic cylinder.
 5. A vacuum handler according to claim1, wherein the vacuum beam is a boom-mountable vacuum beam.
 6. A vacuumhandler according to claim 1, further comprising: a first solenoidoperated valve located between the vacuum pad and a vacuum pump; and asecond solenoid operated valve located between atmosphere and the vacuumpad.
 7. A vacuum handler comprising: a harness including two pinnedconnections and a hinge located between the two pinned connections, oneof the two pinned connections configured for connecting the harness to avacuum beam of the vacuum handler, another of the two pinned connectionsconfigured for connecting the harness to a portion of a vacuum pad ofthe vacuum handler; and an actuatable cylinder spaced laterally apartfrom the harness and configured for connecting another portion of thevacuum pad to the vacuum beam; wherein a plane of rotation of the hingeis oriented perpendicular to a plane of rotation of the two pinnedconnections.
 8. A vacuum handler according to claim 7, wherein operationof the hydraulic cylinder rotates the vacuum pad about the hinge andrelative to the actuatable cylinder.
 9. A vacuum handler according toclaim 7, wherein at least one of the two pinned connections providelateral movement of the vacuum pad relative to the vacuum beam.
 10. Avacuum handler according to claim 7, the actuatable cylinder including ahydraulic cylinder.
 11. A vacuum handler according to claim 7, whereinthe vacuum beam is a boom-mountable vacuum beam.
 12. A vacuum handleraccording to claim 7, further comprising: a first solenoid operatedvalve located between the vacuum pad and a vacuum pump; and a secondsolenoid operated valve located between atmosphere and the vacuum pad.13. A method for moving pipe using a vacuum handler connected to a boom,the vacuum handler including a harness and an actuatable cylinderlaterally spaced apart from one another, the harness and the actuatablecylinder connecting a respective portion of a vacuum beam to acorresponding respective portion of a vacuum pad of the vacuum handler,the harness including two pinned connections and a hinge located betweenthe two pinned connections, the hinge having a plane of rotationperpendicular to that of the two pinned connections, the methodcomprising; aligning the vacuum pad of the vacuum handler into alignmentwith the pipe to be moved by operating the actuatable cylinder andthereby rotating the vacuum pad about the hinge and changing an angle ofthe vacuum pad relative to the vacuum beam.
 14. A method according toclaim 13, further comprising creating a vacuum between the vacuum padand the pipe.
 15. A method according 14, wherein the creating the vacuumincludes: opening a first solenoid operated valve located between thevacuum pad and a vacuum pump; and closing a second solenoid operatedvalve located between atmosphere and the vacuum pad.
 16. A methodaccording to claim 15, further comprising releasing the vacuum betweenthe vacuum and the pipe.
 17. A method according to claim 16, wherein thereleasing includes: closing the first solenoid operated valve; andopening the second solenoid operated valve.
 18. A vacuum handleraccording to claim 13, wherein at least one of the two pinnedconnections provide lateral movement of the vacuum pad relative to thevacuum beam.
 19. A vacuum handler comprising: a harness configured toconnect a vacuum beam of the vacuum handler to a vacuum pad of thevacuum handler; and an actuatable cylinder configured to connect thevacuum beam of the vacuum handler to the vacuum pad of the vacuumhandler, the actuatable cylinder laterally spaced apart from theharness; the harness including one or more pinned connections and ahinge, a plane of rotation of the hinge being perpendicular to that ofthe one or more pinned connections wherein operation of the actuatablecylinder rotates the vacuum pad about the hinge and changes an angle ofthe vacuum pad relative to the vacuum beam.